Croydon cat killer campaign group links West Hampstead animal death

A CAMPAIGN group investigating the “Croydon Cat Killer” case believes the culprit struck in the north west of Camden this month.

South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL) wants people to check a list of locations of animal deaths which it is linking to an unsolved two-year killing spree which has seen more than 500 cats, rabbits and foxes killed and dismembered.

The idea behind the list is that somebody could be traced by the journeys the killer is thought to have taken. The case of a cat reported dead in West Hampstead overnight on June 9 to 10 is included on the list

Reporting of a possible serial killer often leads to claims of scaremongering but the killer is said to leave a mark on the animals they kill which has not been made public.

This detail is partly how the cases are connected. In the days after the West Hampstead incident earlier this month, animal deaths which the group is connecting to the killer were reported in Redhill, Reigate and Bromley.

The discovery of dismembered cats was first tracked in Croydon in 2016 but the incidents have since spread to other areas of the south east and the case has also been known in some quarters as the “M25 Cat Killer”. It is thought the culprit visited West Hampstead in January when a severed fox’s head was found in a garden.

The decapitated animals are often left in areas where they will cause shock and be easily found.

Ward councillor Lorna Russell said: “These crimes, whether linked to the infamous UK animal killer or not, are truly horrifying. I would urge all pet owners in and around the local areas to be extremely vigilant and to report anything suspicious to the police and Camden Council.”

The list of incidents investigated by SNARL

Boudicca Rising, from SNARL, posted a list of potential cases with the appeal message: “Do these journeys make sense to anyone? Do you recognise these places as areas a colleague, friend or family has visited or passed through, on the way to somewhere else?”

She added: “Please note that this is not a full list of incidents but those which we believe to be linked and key to unlocking this case.”

The group has recently thanked the police for continuing to visit the scenes of suspicious animal deaths.

A full list of incidents SNARL is connecting to the investigation can be found on its Facebook page.